1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lubrication systems for internal combustion engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to oil reserve systems that supplement internal combustion engine lubrication systems.
2. The Prior Art
Lubrication systems for internal combustion engines are well known in the art. Typically, a lubrication system circulates motor oil within an engine crankcase to enable the internal parts to operate smoothly. The motor oil also protects the moving parts against excessive wear and tear that may otherwise be caused by frictional forces and high operating temperatures. Most conventional lubrication systems utilize an oil pump to transport the motor oil and to maintain an adequate amount of oil pressure within the system. Unfortunately, such conventional systems may not provide adequate protection under certain conditions.
A large amount of engine wear often occurs immediately following engine startup. For a short time following ignition there is little or no oil protecting the engine parts because the oil pump has not established sufficient oil pressure within the system. An engine can experience thousands of startups over its lifetime, and the short intervals of unlubricated operation can account for a large percentage of total engine wear.
Oil priming systems have been developed to address this shortcoming of conventional lubrication systems. A typical priming system establishes a flow of motor oil through the oiling system before the engine is started. Unfortunately, such systems can be expensive and difficult to install. In addition, such systems may utilize electronic pumps and electronic control modules that must be manipulated whenever the priming system is activated.
Another problem found with typical priming systems is that the operator has no indication that a sufficient quantity of motor oil has flowed into the engine prior to starting the engine. If the priming system is not working adequately there may be little or no oil protecting the engine during ignition, and the operator may be unknowingly adding wear and tear to the engine.
An engine may experience a temporary loss or reduction in oil pressure under certain adverse operating conditions. For example, the crankcase oil may be forced away from the engine oil pump if the automobile engages in hard cornering, steep climbing, hard braking, rapid acceleration, and the like. An engine can suffer severe damage if it operates without delivering oil to the internal parts, especially if the engine is operating under high RPMs.
Conventional oil reserve systems provide an "emergency" supply of oil to the engine lubrication system when the engine oil pressure falls below a normal operating pressure. When the oil pressure returns to normal, excess oil is accumulated and stored in an oil reservoir. Although such oil reserve systems may provide adequate protection against oil pressure loss when an engine is operating, they may not be capable of protecting an engine during startup (when the engine oiling system is not primed with oil). In addition, some oil reserve systems must be manually activated prior to use and manually deactivated following use. Consequently, such systems are rendered useless if the operator forgets to activate the system and the oil reservoir is unintentionally cut off from the engine lubrication system.